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THE BELLS AND "COOCHIN COOCHIN"

An Historic Queensland Family (Read by Norman S. Pixley, M.B.E., V.R.D., Kt.O.N.,

F.R.Hist.S.Q., to the Society, 24 October 1968)

INTRODUCTION I am grateful to the BeU family for access to their family

papers, which have been carefully preserved. These give the family background of J. T. M. BeU and

of Gertrude Norton, whom he married; their life at "Cam-boon," and later at "Coochin Coochin," with their large and obviously devoted family: all has been recorded regu­larly with much detail over the years.

As a girl, Mrs. Bell commenced a diary on her fourteenth birthday: this she continued to keep, with its daUy entries, all through her long and busy life. Her voluminous cutting books, started to interest her chUdren in other countries and current happenings, continued with life and parties at "Coochin Coochin": naturally the progress and careers of each of her five sons and three daughters feature pro­minently in them. They contain, also, a wealth of Aus-

Mrs. J. T. M. Bell, of Coochin Coochin.

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traliana, including many articles from the pen of Gertrude Bell.

The rambling, comfortable homestead of "Coochin," with its trees, gardens and superb views, became early a centre of hospitality soon after the BeUs went there in 1883.

In 1920 Edward, Prince of Wales, stayed as a guest with his staff, which included Louis Mountbatten. During the years since, there have been other Royal visitors and interesting guests, but, throughout, "Coochin" has always remained predominantly the home and centre of the famUy.

THE FOREBEARS In 1806 Ensign Archibald BeU, with his wife and

chUdren, left England in the "Sophia" to join the 102nd Regiment in New South Wales. He carried with him a letter to Governor Bligh from the Hon. WUliam Wyndham, Secretary of State for the Colonies, requesting the Governor to do what he could for Ensign BeU and to grant him 600 acres of land, with the necessary number of assigned convict servants.

Archibald Bell's first holding was a block of land facing the old tank stream: this he exchanged for one nearer to Government House, the guarding of which was included in his mUitary duties. This latter block was on the site where Parliament House, Macquarie Street, now stands.

His heart was in the land, however; on receiving the grant which had been requested for him, he selected this in the Hawkesbury River district and was anxious to resign his commission and take possession at once.

About this time he was in charge of the guard when his Commanding Officer, Major Johnston, entered Gov­ernment House and arrested Governor Bligh.

According to the famUy chronicles, Archibald BeU neither took part in the arrest, nor denied entry to Major Johnston, who did not declare his intentions, knowing BeU was loyal to the Governor, who had given him the assistance requested from England.

GAVE EVIDENCE AT BLIGH REBELLION Bell was recalled to England to give evidence regarding

the rebellion, where he was required to remain for some years.

The Government, meanwhUe, undertook to provide for the wives and famUies of the witnesses in the Bligh case from Government stores during their enforced absence.

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Fmally, after being absolved from taking any part in the rebeUion, Lieutenant Bell returned to Australia, where he found some diSiculty in receiving confirmation of his grant of land on the Hawkesbury.

At last, with the aid of Governor Macquarie, he took possession, naming his estate "Belmont." Here he became an efiicient and successful landowner and buUt a fine home: it was written of him that he was a man of great stature and strength, possessed of indomitable courage and vigour. In recognition of valuable assistance rendered during the disastrous floods, and other public services, he was awarded further grants of land.

From "Belmont" two of his sons rode out to discover and open up new tracts of land.

It was his second son, Archie, who discovered and marked a track across the Blue Mountains, which was to be known as "Bell's Line of Road." He was nineteen years of age when he fiurst set out on his explorations.

On his first attempt, his horses knocked up with the rough going, and his small expedition had to turn back at Mt. Tooman. Later, setting out again, he was successful and the track was used as the main stock route across the mountains until the raUway was built.

TOOK STOCK FROM HAWKESBURY TO HUNTER He was the fiurst to take stock from the Hawkesbury to

the Hunter, where he selected 1,000 acres, naming the property "Corinda," eventually settling on another property in the district. This, which he caUed "Pickering," is stUl held by his descendants. In later years he became a member of the Legislative Assembly.

The eldest son, William, also took up properties in the Hunter Valley and Liverpool Plains, which he named "Chishurst" and "Keepit." His sons continued the advance into new country and, in the early 1860's, moved into Queensland, joining their cousins, the t)uttons, sons of Sophia Bell, who was born on board the "Sophia" during her parents' voyage to Australia. There were two other daughters, Eliza and Mary Ann. James Thomas BeU was the youngest son.

"Belmont," with its valuable estate, was inherited by James Thomas BeU, on his father's death. He had married Elizabeth North, only daughter of Major North, founder of the large famUy of Norths in Queensland. Then: son was James Thomas Marsh BeU, later of "Camboon" and "Coochin."

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HORSE BREEDING AND RACING Miss Enid Bell, of "Coochin," in her famUy chronicles,

says that James Thomas Bell had not inherited his father's vigour and ability. He was more concerned with breeding fine horses, schooling and racing them, than in the manage­ment of his land, whilst his wife, with no knowledge of the land and its requirements, was provided by her husband with every luxury.

As a result, whilst young James BeU was at the King's School, his father became insolvent, the whole estate of "Belmont" and the family effects being sold at auction to defray the debts.

James, his father having died shortly afterwards, found himself pennUess and his mother forced to live in a cheap boarding house.

In preference to having his school fees paid by relatives, James left school and went to work, with one aim, to provide security for himself and his mother. Fortunately, having inherited many of his grandfather's traits and physique, he was, by saving every penny and denying him­self any relaxation, able to buy a share in a smaU property, of which he eventually became sole owner.

Gertrude Augusta Norton, who was later to go with him as his bride to "Camboon" and afterwards to become the much-loved chatelaine of "Coochin Coochin" for 63 years, was born on 30 June 1856 at "Ecclesbourne" near Double Bay, Sydney, the home of her parents, James and Harriet Norton.

She was their first child and Australian bred for three generations on both her father's and mother's side, her pioneer ancestors being the Blaxlands and the Walkers.

Her father, the Honourable John Norton, was regarded as the father of the Legislative Council in New South Wales.

A great-grandfather was John Blaxland, who died in 1852.

"Ecclesbourne" with its beautiful garden was a happy, prosperous home, Gertrude having a sunny nature and a joy of living, records her chronicler.

On her fourteenth birthday she commenced a diary, which she continued to keep regularly untU a few days before her death. She scribbled away at stories, deciding she would become an authoress, also get married and have a large family.

THE START IN QUEENSLAND Having sold his first small property at a profit, J. T. M.

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Bell, having a good name for hard work and abUity, came North and acquired "UmbercoUie" and "Mhima" in the Goondiwindi district.

Later, Colville Hyde, a wealthy Englishman, wished to invest in a pastoral property in Australia; BeU was recom­mended to him as a managing partner.

Entering into a partnership with Hyde, Bell purchased "Camboon," a leasehold catde station of 700 square mUes with a herd of 22,000 cattle. It proved a profitable partner­ship.

Having acquired habits of thrift and concentration on his work from his youth and with the spectre of his father's ruin, James continued to work and save to ultimately become the sole owner of "Camboon."

In 1874, being then 35 years old, he visited Sydney. His excursions into society were rare, but his friend Mr. Dumaresq persuaded Bell to accompany him to Lady Hay's garden party at her home, "Buckhurst," in Rose Bay; there James met Gertrude Norton.

Miss Kent, afterwards to become Mrs. J. H. McConneU of "Cressbrook," was present at the garden party and, years afterwards, gave an account of their meeting:

"All the girls were anxious to meet this young man that Lady Hay had told them was coming to her party. Mr. Bell was a tall dark, fine-looking man with very blue eyes with a twinkle in them, but Gertrude met him first and he had no eyes for anyone else. She was a vivacious, pretty little girl."

Gertrude invited James Bell to tea the following day at "Ecclesbourne"; he evidently wasted no time over his court­ing, as Gertrude's diary records almost daily visits by him and, ten days after their first meeting, she had promised to marry him.

They were married on 24 July 1875 and left for Brisbane in the coastal steamer "Boomerang."

The Mr. Dumaresq referred to had recommended James BeU to Colville Hyde as a managing partner, with success at "Camboon" as a result; indirectly, as we have seen, he was responsible for the meeting of James and Gertrude.

The initials of Mr. Dumaresq, who had twice played the part of "good fairy" to Jim Bell, are, unfortunately, not given. There is little doubt, however, that he was one of the well-known pioneer family, a member of which married the Hon. Louis Hope of "Ormiston." Much later another Dumaresq joined the Royal Navy; as a gunnery officer he developed an instrument used for gunnery throughout the

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Navy which was called the Dumaresq. As a Rear-Admiral he commanded the Australian Fleet for a time after the first war.

During a short sojourn in Brisbane she met a number of people and visited Newstead House where, her daughter Enid says, "She received a warm welcome from the genial and charming Mrs. Harris, grandmother of Mr. R. G. Casey and Mrs. Whittingham."

After a journey by train to Dalby where the "Camboon" four-in-hand drag met them, she and her husband spent the night at "Jimbour" as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Peter BeU.

"ON A GRAND SCALE" Gertrude Bell, recording in her diary her astonishment

at finding such an imposing mansion in the Queensland bush, says: "Everything was on a grand scale, with massive furni­ture and a large staff of servants. Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Bell instructed the head gardener to supply me with all the cut­tings and plants I wanted for my garden."

From "Jimbour" the 200-mUe drive to "Camboon," tak­ing four days, was tiring to the city girl, though novel and exciting. Her diary reads: "I saw mobs of kangaroos and emus. We passed some aboriginals who waved to us in a friendly way. Relays of fresh horses were awaiting us at every stop."

At her first glimpse "Camboon" looked like a small, straggling township with aU its slab-buUt outhouses. The homestead was small and low compared with Sydney's stately homes but was well buUt and comfortable.

It stood on an ironbark ridge with a creek below it, normally dry and sandy, so to Mrs. Bell it did not look hopeful for growing the trees she hoped to plant or for making a garden.

At first she rode out to join her husband in mustering but found the long day's rides too arduous and alarming for her husband, when she was carried several times at fuU gallop over rocks, fallen timber and densely timbered ridges.

She remained at home and rode out to meet the mobs coming in when the sounds from the cattle and cracking of stock whips indicated they were a mile or two away. Gertrude enjoyed the happy gatherings at dusk, when the stockmen came to the verandah for their rum: she could share the spirit of camaraderie with her husband and the station hands as they yarned over the happenings of the day, and the black stockboys' antics when they described some incident.

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Says Enid Bell of her mother: "That she found romance in the station life and appreciated the open-hearted com­radeship of the bush, is evidenced in her novel 'Under the Brigalows,' based on her years at 'Camboon,' which she wrote in after life."

"WHERE ROSIE? YOU GOT ROSIE? One night, when James Bell was away from the home­

stead, Gertrude heard a stealthy movement on the verandah and investigated, carrying a kerosene lamp, which revealed a huge blackfellow with a spear and a butcher's knife. Draw­ing herself up to her full height of 5ft. 3in. she demanded the reason for the intrusion. "Where Rosie? You got Rosie?" he growled. Rosie was a young gin who came to work in the house. Though Gertrude assured him Rosie was not there, he walked towards her bedroom threatening her with a knife, then stooped, drew a screaming Rosie from under the bed and departed, dragging her with him. Mrs. Bell sat up for the rest of the night with the gun her husband had taught her to use. Her maid, Perkins, who had heard nothing, was surprised to hear about the experi­ence next morning. As Enid BeU relates: "Perkins screamed with horror and declared they would all be murdered in their beds. Her mistress tried to fortify her courage with stories of brave deeds of pioneer women, but Perkins had no tradition of brave ancestors. Her tradition was self-survival and she bewaUed the fact that she had left the safety of Brisbane. Shortly she found a husband and Mrs. BeU lost a maid."

Some two -jears after coming to "Camboon" Mrs. BeU went to Sydney l«r the birth of her first chUd, Archie, mak­ing the long journty back with her baby son. Her next chUd, a son, Ernest, arrived prematurely, a selector's wife coming to act as mid-wil°; another son arrived prematurely, but was stUl-born, as also were twin sons, who arrived so much before they were expected that there was no one to attend to her but her husband, with telegraphed instructions from the doctor, he saved her life.

Her health had suffered from these ordeals and a doctor who was passing through in the coach advised a change to the milder air nearer the coast.

"COOCHIN COOCHIN" James Bell therefore began to talk of buying a fatisjning

property in the coastal country. About this time a driver going past "Camboon," having heard of this, gave BeL ^

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glowing account of a place called "Coochin," saying he had passed through it and had heard it was for sale. He also described the beauty of "Coochin" Valley enthusiastically; Mrs. Bell listened with interest.

En route to Sydney to attend the land sale, Bell inspected "Coochin" noting the portion he wished to buy as freehold, whilst Mrs. Bell waited in Ipswich with her two smaU sons.

There was little bidding in Sydney at the land sale held in 1883 and Bell purchased the 22,000 acres of freehold, including the homestead, at 30/ - per acre in the names of Hyde and BeU.

Coochin Coochin Valley was the favourite playground of the Ugarapul people: the chain of waterholes with fish and ducks were also breeding grounds for the big black swans. Enid Bell in her papers says that Bunjoey, the daughter of the last chief of the tribe, known as Susan in the district, told them: "We calling this place Mooroo Coochin." Mooroo means a nose and Coochin red. "And we call it too Coochin Coochin, place of lots of red-nosed fellows." Repetition of the word signifies more than one or many.

John Hardcastle, writing in the "Courier" of 23 December 1930, says: "The name Coochin is a corruption of the aboriginal word 'Coot-yin,' the name of the red ridge near

MISS EILEEN BELL IN THE GARDEN AT COOCHIN COOCHIN

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Wallace's Creek from which the aborigines obtained the red pigment to smear their bodies."

Andrew Cunningham, with Captain Logan and Charles Fraser, the Government Botanist, entered the valley on 5 August 1828.

Among the enthusiastic references in his diary Cunning­ham includes the following: "To this beautiful plam I have much pleasure in attaching the name of Dalhunty as a compliment to the highly respected famUy of that name in the colony."

DALHUNTY'S PLAINS In 1840 the valley was taken up as a grazing lease and

caUed Dalhunty's Plains: the first lessee was G. F. Burgoyne, who buUt a homestead at the northern end of the property. It consisted of two long, low buUdings buUt of pit-sawn planks of cedar and spotted gum. In 1871 these were moved to the present site of "Coochin" homestead and stUl form part of it. Prior to this, the portion of the run called "Coochin" had been an out-station in charge of a stockman named BUI Landor, who was known as Coochin Bill and lived in a slab hut alongside the stockyard. It was Mr. Alford, the station manager at that time, who, having dis­covered from the remnants of the Ugarapul tribe that this part of the valley was known to them as "Coochin Coochin," adopted this name for the property instead of Dalhunty's Plains. Mr. C. E. Barnes of "Canning Downs" told me that his grandfather, Henry Barnes, had Dalhunty's Plains in 1856.

The lease first held by Burgoyne as Dalhunty's Plains had passed to Patrick Leslie, then from one lessee to another untU finally offered as freehold in 1883, when, as we have seen, it came to the Bell family. As Enid BeU puts it: "Fate had decreed that 'Coochin Coochin' should come into the possession of one who would bestow upon it the love and admiration it had not received since the Ugarapuls had been driven out of their beloved valley."

"INDEED A PARADISE" Her mother describes her first sight of it as she drove

with her husband: "The sun was setting behind the glorious mountains and tinging the wonderful crags with rose pink, whUst the distant peaks changed to opal in the afterglow. Watching it, I felt that our newfound 'Coochin Coochin' was indeed a paradise."

WhUst her husband worked to improve the run and establish what was to become a celebrated Hereford stud.

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Mrs. Bell was busy with her new home, planting trees and establishing a garden. It was a time of thrift and practicaUy aU the furniture was made from packmg cases in which the stores arrived; these she covered with cretonne and lined with paper. Mattresses she made and fiUed with horsehair whilst the pUlows, all made by her also, were filled with feathers from the fowls.

At "Coochin" six more chUdren were born; Gertrude Bell attained her girlhood ambition to have a big famUy and a happy home in which to bring them up.

It was to be her home for 63 years: due to her warm hospitality and service to the district "Coochin" became weU known as one of Queensland's historic homes.

NEIGHBOURING PROPERTIES Some neighbouring properties were "Maroon," which

the Murray Priors had held for two generations, "Dugan-dan," the home of the CampbeU Macdonalds, afterwards sold to Fox and McConneU, whUst "Denelgui," where the Bowmans lived, was not far from "Coochin."

The eight Bell chUdren were Archie, Ernest, Francis, Victor, Bertram, Una, Enid and Aileen; Bertram was the youngest.

As the famUy grew, the house was enlarged to accom­modate them without regard to the original design. When Mr. Bell's mother came later to live with them, another house was added, connected by a long gangway. With trees, lawns, rockeries and window boxes, Gertrude Bell trans­formed the spaces between the buUdings into shady court­yards.

Prior to this buUding being added, Granny BeU, whom some of the chUdren had christened "The Grenadier" owing to her erect figure and commanding presence, was quartered in Gertrude's own bedroom which had been surrendered for her use. On overhearing the Grenadier remark that there was no space to swing a cat in the room, one of the girls became agitated, visualising her pet being vigorously swung around by the taU to prove the point.

From the early years of her residence, families from the district would drive over to seek her help in sickness or to see her garden from which she supplied them with plants and cuttings. The road from Boonah ran through the Coochin paddocks about a mUe from the homestead and, as every mile counted in those days of buggies and sulkies, Mrs. Bell flew a flag as a signal that she was at home.

It was a flag of her own design and making—^two black

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swans on a scarlet background; hoisted on a taU flagstaff on the lawn, it flew as a message of welcome throughout her life and is stUl flown, maintaining the tradition, when guests are due to arrive.

Many new flags were made by her on the old hand-sewing machine to replace those tattered by the wind.

THE TURN OF THE CENTURY Not long after the severe drought of 1902 had broken

and he had commenced to buUd up the herd at "Camboon" again, Jim Bell suffered a severe stroke in Toowoomba. He recovered somewhat and again endeavoured to continue his usual activity but suffered, not surprisingly, another stroke and died at "Coochin" in 1903, but not before he had finally achieved his ambition to become sole owner of "Camboon" and "Coochin."

His estate he left in equal shares to his sons and daughters. Ernest and Francis, well trained and capable, took over the management of the two properties. Archie, the eldest son, was provided for and Mrs. Bell found herself the sole owner of "Coochin" m May 1903 at the age of 48. The other members of her famUy were Una, Enid, Aileen, Victor and Bertram, some of them still at school.

THE NEW ERA In 1904, ending her period of mourning, Gertrude BeU

entered into the festivities in Brisbane and led a fuU and happy life with her five grown-up chUdren, as she called them, and the three who were stUl at school. Once again "Coochin" parties were in full swing. In 1905, pipes carried the water to her garden from the waterholes and she held a hose there for the first time. The cans, in which she, with an elderly pensioner, had carried countless loads of water to her trees and shrubs, were put away.

On Victor's coming of age, he, with his sister Una, left for an overseas trip.

After their return Mrs. BeU held a baU at the South Brisbane Technical College to celebrate the debut of her second daughter Enid. All seven of her chUdren were there, including Aileen and Bertram, who were on holidays from school. She worked hard at the decorations, played the extras on the piano whUst the band had supper, danced and was up early next morning to take down the decorations. The Governor, Lord Chelmsford, with Lady Chelmsford attended and Gertrude Bell noted in her diary during the small hours of the morning: "August 17th baU immense success, everyone thought the decorations were very novel."

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JOURNEY OVERSEAS House parties at "Coochin" became more frequent as her

family brought their friends home and now Gertrude com­menced to make plans for a journey overseas.

There was much to organise prior to the departure. Ernest was married to Pauline, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. W. F. Taylor, in All Saints' Church by Canon De Witt Batty and commenced to build his home "Aroo," having taken up part of "Coochin." It was arranged that they live at the homestead meanwhile, whilst Victor went to manage "Cam-boon," Una going with him. With all these arrangements completed and a farewell party at "Coochin" with 30 people in the house, Gertrude Bell, Francis, Enid and Aileen set forth on the grand tour.

They saUed in April 1910 in the "Omrah" on an extensive tour; the diary, as always kept up to date daUy, described it all with a wealth of interesting detail as did her letters to the famUy at home,

On her retum, Mrs. Bell wrote a novel, "Sarabande," which had its setting in Egypt.

Francis married Frederica Darvall, daughter of the late Mr. F. O. Darvall and of Mrs. DarvaU, at St. John's Cathedral, Brisbane, on 1 June 1911. Their home "Koo-roomba" was built on portion of the "Coochin" area.

1912. This year Ernest was elected Member for Fassi­fern, which he represented for many years.

1914. Bertram came of age in AprU and, according to the wiU of J. T. M. Bell, the estate was to be wound up when the youngest child attained his majority. The buth-day was the signal for a monster party at "Coochin." An all-day picnic in the paddock for 200 adults and chUdren with shooting galleries, side-shows and all sat down for lunch.

Soon afterwards Bertram, who had eagerly awaited the day when he would come of age, now set off on a world tour with his sister Una.

WORLD WAR I WhUst Bertram and Una were in England, war was

declared: Victor left for England, where both he and Ber­tram joined the Royal Flying Corps, transferring to the R.A.F. when it was formed. Bertram was attached to the Royal Naval Air Service, winning the D.S.O., D.S.C. and Croix De Guerre. Victor was awarded the O.B.E. Archie was with the Army.

The Fassifern Guardian, under the heading of "Fassi-

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fernities to the Front," mentions that Mr. B. C. Bell had taken up active service at the seat of war: a rather quaint and restful-sounding description.

Later it described him as a Fassifern aeroplanist. Soon after the declaration of war, Gertrude, the indomit­

able little lady, went to England with her remaining two daughters to make a temporary home where her sons could spend their leave. Whilst her three daughters worked as V.A.D.'s she worked in the Australian Canteen, visited hospitals asking for Queenslanders, especially those from her own district, and writing to the parents with news of their sons.

Hiring 'buses, she took convalescent men sight-seeing around London which ended in tea parties at her flat.

Returning with her daughters to Boonah in 1918 Mrs. Bell received a great welcome from the people of the district, including members of the newly-formed Returned Soldiers' League, being elected unanimously as patroness of the Boonah Branch.

"Coochin" became a place of reunion for local returned men. In 1920 Mrs. Bell gave a dinner party for them at which sixty sat down at tresde tables on the verandah of the homestead!

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT "COOCHIN" Edward, Prince of Wales, came to Australia in H.M.S.

"Renown," a glamorous figure and heir to the throne of England.

It was natural, therefore, that the glare of publicity should focus on "Coochin" when his Queensland tour included a visit there.

Sir CyrU Brudenell White, a distinguished Queensland soldier. Director of the Royal Tour, who had some years before stayed at the homestead, wrote to Mrs. Bell asking if she would entertain H.R.H.

Extra bathrooms and other amenities had been added to the home from time to time, so Gertmde BeU replied that she would be honoured, providing that the members of the Royal staff could be limited to the capacity of her house.

Enid Bell, in her account of the preliminaries, says that a Government official, who paid a visit, obviously con­sidered the place unsuitable.

There was no drive for the Royal car to arrive at the front entrance. H.R.H. would have to enter the house at the back, which had a low beam at the gangway entrance. This the official, being tall, had to duck his head to enter.

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General White remained quietly determined however and, as a member of the Royal staff, accompanied the Prince in due course on the visit, the party arriving by train in Boonah on Saturday, 4 August, in torrential rain.

The "Fassifern Guardian" of 4 August 1920 says that on the evening before, no indication of rain was observed as the sightseers admired the arches and other decorations in High Street, Boonah. From 2.30 a.m. heavy rain com­menced to fall and continued during the day.

The celebrations were completed nevertheless and the party had a rough joumey on the road to "Coochin." The paper continues: "Quantities of mud and water bespotted the Prince as he arrived at 'Coochin' station. Despite the fact that the luggage lorry became bogged and the Prince was unable to change his attire until 10 o'clock, a happy evening was spent."

By Sunday, 5 August, the weather had cleared, so the day was spent in the open air with a picnic lunch, H.RH. enjoying himself on horseback. On Monday, continues the "Guardian," "The Prince had, what was said by a member of the staff, to be one of the best times since arriving m Australia. He spent the morning cutting out fat cattle and using a stockwhip presented by the Bell family."

PRINCE ENJOYED HIS STAY There is no doubt that the Prince, whose autograph,

Edward P., can be seen signed on the wallpaper, thoroughly enjoyed his stay, which was prolonged owing to the can­cellation of his visit to Beaudesert, to which, in the itinerary arranged, he was to proceed by car from "Coochin."

Inevitably and understandably, this decision, of necessity made virtually at the eleventh hour, created bitter disappoint­ment in Beaudesert and its district, where elaborate pre­parations had been made for the reception of H.R.H. and for his stay at "Nindooinbah."

Mr. G. R. Steer, the tour organiser for Queensland, in a press interview, said it was regretted that rain had made the roads so impassable, pointing out that a car en route from Rathdowney to "Coochin" had been bogged, whilst the Prince's car, coming through to Boonah from "Coochin" on the Monday, sank to its axles in mud.

In spite of explanations, strong feeUngs remained in Beaudesert for a long time.

At the time, I was one of the guests of Mrs. WiUiam Collins, at "Nindooinbah," where a baUroom had been built in anticipation of the Prince coming. We had gone

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to Beaudesert by train, which also had an orchestra and a catering staff from Rowes Cafe on board. We had a wonderful week-end but, naturally, sympathised with our hostess in her keen disappointment when H.R.H. faUed to arrive. AUeen Bell and Mary Grant, of BowenviUe, were his favourite dancing partners here.

The Websters had a baU at "Whinstanes," where H.R.H. and his staff were present, and continued a habit which had developed of puUing the white ties undone. Mine was puUed off by Mountbatten.

On his last visit to Brisbane a few years ago, I told Mountbatten that he owed me a white tie. He said: "Sorry, but you can blame Aileen for that, as she started us off on that game."

Not long after the visit of the Prince, I was staying at "Coochin" and had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. MaUowan, better known as Agatha Christie, whose friendship with the Bells has continued over the years.

THE CHANGING YEARS Ernest and Pauline BeU set forth in December 1920

for their tour abroad, which included most of the countries of South America. Extracts from letters home describe the pampas in Uruguay as being very like Dalby country, except that the indigenous tree, the urnba, is destroyed, as it was said to harbour rats and mice. Of a visit to Paraguay: "An interesting trip, but very tiring, the train journey especiaUy— the train was not nearly as good as our Boonah one—no baUast on the line and bumping along in the dust and heat for sixty hours."

At the estancia of Mr. Bacarello, they saw a steam plough at work and were given an exhibition of lassooing, but: "The cattle; I've never seen anything like them, a cross between the original cattle brought over by the Spaniards and Indian zebu cattle. I'd like to see J. Ryan's^ face if he met them on 'Coochin.' Guess he would go for a gun."

Swift and Co. made a launch available for a trip up the river to visit an estancia owned by an Australian named Hill. In charge of the launch was McLeod, also an Aus­tralian, who went at the age of seven with his parents to Cosme, founded by WiUiam Lane, in Paraguay.

In August 1923, at the little Church of St. Peter's at

1. Jim Ryan and William Walsh were two stockmen of whom Enid wrote: "Not the least of Jim Bell's legacies were these two loyal retainers, admired friends and companions of his sons and daughters."

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"Coochin," Victor married Gwenda Campbell-Riley, of Brisbane, who went with him to "Camboon."

Bert, the youngest member of the famUy, was married on 24 April 1926 in the St. Mark's Church, Warwick, to Keiser, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. S. Barnes, of "Canning Downs."

All the Bells wrote regular and interesting letters home, but Enid, like her mother, was also a fluent writer; many of her articles, during her travels, were published in the local press and journals. When she, with AUeen, went abroad in 1927, India was included in the itinerary, and here, through A. E. R. Gilligan, who was captaining an M.C.C. cricket team which was touring the country, they received an invitation from the Maharajah of Patiala to come for a week's visit with the team, which was to play against the eleven captained by the Maharajah.

Describing some of the match, Enid writes: "There was a stir of excitement when the Maharajah went in to bat, and when he drove on to the pickets, the cheering was enthusiastic. Above the club building was a covered-in balcony, from where his wives and ladies of the court were watching.

BIG GAME HUNTING IN INDIA "One hears of a man being nervous playing in a match

with his wife looking on, and we wondered how the Maharajah felt with five wives watching him."

Four days of big game hunting and dining off sohd gold plates were amongst their experiences, whilst of the zenana, where the women of the court showed them the tennis courts, croquet lawns, toy lakes with boats, Enid comments: "It seemed to us very pathetic, this child's playground, where these women lived out of the world and its doings."

In 1928, Archie, the eldest of the family, who, through an illness in his early life, was unable to follow the active life of his brothers and sisters on the land, died at Gosford, New South Wales, where he had been living for some years.

Two years later, in 1930, Ernest died. He had for years represented his district in Parliament and done much for the AustraUan meat industry.

Victor and Gwenda Bell went abroad in 1933. Of the numerous visitors and friends from overseas who

were guests at "Coochin" over the years, it was natural that many of these should, in turn, be hosts. The first visitors' book was opened in 1907. It and the subsequent

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ones contain the names of an infinite variety of guests, as can be imagined.

In 1933 "Gubby" Allen, captain of the English cricket team and a physical fitness enthusiast, was staying at "Coochin." One afternoon he wanted someone to go with him for a cross-country run, but had no volunteers. He then invited a slim young jackaroo standing nearby, who said, "Yes, Mr. Allen, I'U go with you."

They set off together, but, when Alien got back, the young man had returned, bathed, and dressed for dinner. He was Thwaites, who had been champion long-distance runner at Oxford.

Victor died suddenly in Sydney in 1936. He and Gwenda had no children.

Throughout World War II, Gertrude BeU, with her daughters, extended hospitality at "Coochin" to many people in the services, including those of the United States. The death of Bert occurred in 1941. Since his marriage he had lived at "Aroo," Ernest having moved to Brisbane as being more convenient for his parliamentary and other public activities.

THE END OF AN ERA Having lived to see her grandchildren and great-grand-

chUdren playing in her garden and resting under the trees she had planted so long ago, Gertrude Bell passed away on 9 August 1946, aged ninety-one years.

Her daughters, Una, Enid and Aileen, continued to Uve at "Coochin." They maintained the traditional welcome for guests arriving by hoisting the flag designed by their mother.

Una died in 1959, whUst, two years later, Francis (Frick) died suddenly on his property at "Kooroomba." Always active, he had given nearly twenty-four years' service as a member of the Queensland Meat Industry Board.

Enid, who died in 1965, had set down much of the family history, taken from the diaries of her mother and from listening to stories of the past. She had also recorded legends of the Ugarapul tribe in the "Coochin" Valley.

Aileen is living at "Coochin" and last year, on a visit abroad, stayed in London as usual with Agatha Christie.

In the colourful life of this large family, which, of neces­sity, has been only briefly outlined in this paper, it should be remembered that they were brought up to be capable people on the properties and in the home, with a sense of service to the people and to the district in which they lived.

Pauline BeU (Mrs. Ernest BeU) is living at "Mostowie,"

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near Petrie, whilst Mrs. Frick BeU has remained at "Koor­oomba" and Mrs. Bert BeU at "Aroo."

"Camboon" today is in the capable hands of BUI BeU, the son of Ernest and Pauline BeU. To him I owe thanks for handing me on loan the papers and cutting books. It is the first time they have left "Coochin," to which they have now been returned.